The chlorophyll a fluorescence as an indicator of the temperature stress in the leaves of Prunus persica

Abstract

Plants growing in temperate regions are often exposed to stress conditions caused by high temperatures. Photosynthesis is one of the metabolic processes most sensitive to high temperature stress, and it is often inhibited before other cellular functions. Using peach leaf disks, we studied the transient chlorophyll a fluorescence along with the gas exchanges at temperatures of 25 (control) 30, 35, 40 and 45°C in the dark for a period of 30 minutes. Temperatures above 35°C caused significant changes in the transient fluorescence of chlorophyll a, including an increase in the initial fluorescence (F0), a decrease in maximum fluorescence values (FM) and the appearance of K and L bands. The values of the net assimilation rate decreased as the temperature increased and reached negative values at 45°C.